PROGRESSIVISM IN ACTION TODAY

Progressives are active across the country and in Washington, D.C. Below are some of the progressive actions to keep an eye on!

Our President, Dr. Gabriela D. Lemus, recently signed the Progressive Agenda organized by Mayor DeBlasio. Check out the link to see the evolving Progressive Agenda!

As low wage workers are striking across the nation, Robert Borosage makes the case for how the next major action is within the hands of the President to take action on.

This past Wednesday, April 15, 2015, Low Wage Workers across the country marched through the streets demanding a livable wage. Turns out, it was the largest nationwide protest of low wage workers in US history.

03/18/15By Katrina vanden Heuvel

Washington PostWith the House budget impending commute through the House and Senate, it details the privatization of medicare, reducing Medicaid and food stamps. There's only one budget in Washington that's for the people and by the people, and it's not coming from republicans.

2/23/15

“Expanding Social Security benefits, providing investor protections for consumers, and strengthening the private pension system are all important things government can do to create a system that ensures America’s seniors will be able to retire with security and dignity. The CPC supports the President’s actions today and encourages him to propose the strongest possible rule.”

1/27/15

Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), along with CPC Peace and Security Task Force Chair Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) sent a letter to Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Chairman Richard Shelby and Ranking Member Sherrod Brown and House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Elliot Engel urging them to postpone enacting new sanctions legislation on Iran. The letter opposes sanctions that threaten to derail the P5+1 negotiations, which is an ongoing effort to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon

1/16/15

"Offering adequate paid leave is not just morally right, it’s economically smart. Many Americans face the dilemma of what to do when they themselves or a member of their family is sick. Workers without paid sick days must choose to go to work sick or stay home and risk their pay and possibly their job. Allowing paid leave prevents the spread of illness and increases workforce productivity, which benefits employers.

1/7/15

“Democrats need to step up to protect public health and the environment by uniting against Keystone XL and backing the president’s veto if necessary. This dirty pipeline threatens to pollute our lands, contaminate our water, and offers the American people nothing in return

“Patriotism,” as Samuel Johnson warned, “is the last refuge for a scoundrel.” As the administration has ratcheted up the pressure to pass fast track authority that will grease the skids for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)accords, it increasingly invokes national security as the central rationale for the treaty, with the president warning that “we must write the rules” or China will.

The fight to raise the minimum wage continues as workers in the Senate and House Office Buildings take a stand. Some of the stories of people working just to get by and build a better future for their families are heartbreaking. It's past time to raise the minimum wage.

The Restaurant Opportunities Center recently released a report covering the real cost of low wages in the restaurant industry. The report exhaustively covers the issue and shows how the fight for a livable wage is one that will help all of America.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) hosted a forum on ISIL and President Obama’s proposed AUMF

2/13/15

“The Administration has argued that the 2001 AUMF, which was designed to declare war on Al Qaeda and the Taliban shortly after the attacks of 9/11 but has since been broadly applied more than 30 times, provides the legal authority for any existing and future operations against ISIL. Until Congress declares that the 2001 AUMF does not apply to ISIL, any limitations or restrictions in the AUMF proposed by the president are irrelevant"

1/21/15

“It has been five years since the Supreme Court gave corporate money unlimited influence over our elections,” said Reps. Grijalva and Ellison. “Since then, corporations, special interests, and the mega-rich have spent millions of untraceable dollars to flood our electoral process – effectively silencing the American people.”

1/14/15

“While Republicans claim to be the party of security, nothing could be more dangerous than playing political games with funding for the Department of Homeland Security – especially at a time of heightened alert."

12/17/14

“The United States isolated Cuba for 53 years in a failed attempt to promote democracy and freedom. President Obama’s new course recognizes our old approach towards Cuba didn’t work."

With President Obama's announcement about conflict in Iraq regarding ISIS/ISIL, progressives have taken a stand. Check out the link to see where progressives in Congress and around the country stand regarding open conflict in Iraq with ISIS/ISIL

EPI has released an amazing report about the making of Ferguson, how it developed, what you need to know, and why it matters. The report is a must read for anyone interested in the issue at hand.

On the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act the CPC has taken a strong stand for where we stand today and where the country needs to go tomorrow. Voting is a core principle for Democracy in the U.S. and there are still many ways yet to be implemented to ensure a more perfect Democratic system.

The CPC has released an statement in support of the new Clean Power Plan. Be sure to check the full statement for quotes from the Co-Chairs.

"The cost of college has increased by 300 percent over the last 30 years and that when students graduate with debt, it has negative effects on the economy.

'When students graduate with loads of debt, the ripple effects are endless; they're less likely to start a business, to buy a house, and to realize their full potential.'"

Rep. Raúl Grijalva and Rep. Mark Pocan are standing up for the environment in the face of mining and fracking companies.

“Setting a benchmark, nothing wrong with that. . . It’s not about more regulation, it’s about the carve-outs and the lack of capacity on the part of states to monitor, evaluate, control and prevent some of those things.”

Tax Day, April 15, 2015, the CPC hosted a forum to focus on the plight of Low Wage Workers in the US today. The stories were heartbreaking but hopeful. Workers are standing up for the right to a livable wage and to organize. Check out the full video for am amazing insight into progressive action.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Larry Mishel recently published an op-ed comparing the highly damaging GOP plan to the progressive budget proposal, The People's Budget: A Raise for America. If you want to check out more on the People's Budget, be sure to check out, cpcbudget.org

2/4/15

“Today’s victory belongs to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who wrote letters, organized protests, tweeted and demanded the FCC protect a free and open Internet. Reclassification is the only way to stop providers from increasing prices and restricting the Internet for those who can’t afford to pay for fast lanes"

1/20/15

“President Obama laid out a robust agenda tonight to make our economy work for everyone. The president’s proposals to create opportunity for hard-working Americans are encouraging steps towards making 2015 the last year the term ‘low-wage worker’ is used in the wealthiest nation in the world."

1/12/15“Our priority should be American families, not bank CEOs. We can rebuild our roads and bridges, upgrade our transit systems and electrical grids, and continue important science research while putting Americans back into decent paying jobs if we get rid of the budget sequester once and for all.

12/22/14

"Recent events in Sanford, Ferguson, Staten Island, and Cleveland illustrate a significant need for criminal justice reform. Reliable information is necessary in order to implement meaningful change. Experience in our communities indicates that the use of excessive force disproportionally affects communities of color, but we lack the empirical data from the Department of Justice."

Typically we do not post articles here, but an exception will be made for this amazing and disturbing article in Politico. Customs and Border Protection have expanded dramatically since 2001, and the results of that expansion have had benefits and sincere drawbacks. This article sheds light on a single incident of extreme violence that illustrates some of the worrying problems present at CBP.

Uprising is a brand new show hosted by FreeSpeechTV, aimed at young progressives in America today. The show launched October 27th, give it look!

EPI has released their Wage Calculator, helping to show the need to increase wages for hardworking Americans today. What should you be making? Unless you are in the top 1% of earners in America, you aren't earning what you should be.

Due to progressive efforts petitioning to the NFL, real wins for standing up for women have been made! Check out the full statement above and the petition that helped usher in this change!

Rep. Hank Johnson has taken a strong stance on the militarization of police due to laws easing the move of excess military hardware to local police departments.

Reps. John Lewis and Keith Ellison have taken a stand with a new Bill that would make union organizing a civil right.

CGPS covers the Better Off Budget and the numerous advantages it would give to progressives and average Americans today.

EPI has an outstanding FAQ on all the facts on overtime pay and why we are long overdue for updating overtime pay on a national scale.

Robert Borosage's new report about the dire need for unions in America to be revived.

"For 40 years, wages have stagnated, while incomes at the top have soared. Coming out of the 2008 recession, the richest 1 percent captured a staggering 95 percent of the na- tion’s income growth. . . The American dream is becoming a bygone fantasy as the broad middle class continues to sink."

Underpaid & Overloaded: Women in Low Wage Jobs. A new report by the National Women's Law Center delves into the difficulties and inequalities women still face in low wage jobs.

23 Years and Waiting, a new report from EPI about the need to change State and Federal policy regarding tipped workers in the U.S.

Underwriting Good Jobs: How to Place Over 20 Million Americans on a Pathway to the Middle Class Using Federal Purchasing Power. A new report by Dēmos.

April 2014, the CPC released their Better Off Budget, a budget alternative moving the U.S. forward towards a more progressive tomorrow and creating millions of jobs for Americans.

The CPC has taken a stand against the derogatory comments made by Erik Erikson regarding fast food workers.

July 29, 2014, the CPC held an Ad-Hoc Hearing regarding unaccompanied minors crossing the border. The Hearing featured 4 of these minors and their moving stories.

July 24, 2014, the CPC held an Ad-Hoc Hearing on wage theft committed at Federal Buildings across Washington, DC. Featuring experts and workers who were subject to wage theft.

Episode 31 of The Good Fight with Ben Wikler features Lawrence Lessig accomplishing the extraordinary first major goal in fighting against money in politics today.

Episode 30 of The Good Fight with Ben Wikler was uploaded July 31, 2014. The episode features Garlin Gilchrist and his reasons to return to Detroit to fight for a more progressive tomorrow and better Detroit.

May 22, 2014, Campaign for America's Future hosted the New Populism Conference. The conference called together progressive leaders from across the country to talk about our new populist movement.